East Reading Festival

04/03/2026

We’ve been nominated for event of the year as part of the What's On Reading awards!

Help us to win at the awards evening on 23rd March by voting for us using this form:

https://wordg.tiny.us/eoty26

Voting closes at midnight on Sun 22nd March

Your What's On Reading Awards finalists are here!

We had over 250 nominations this year, and our judging panel has been hard at work narrowing that down to an impressive shortlist of finalists.

And the nominees are...

𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝
Berkshire and Henley Dance
Jenny Brown, Swing Factory
Seamus Allen, What's the Game Improv

𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝
Becoming Mums
Reading Bhangra Group
Real Time

𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝
Deadlocked Escape Rooms
Future Transmissions
Mates Rates Comedy Club

𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝
Becoming Mums - Creative Motherhood Project
Reading Bike Hub
Whitley Carnival

𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝
The Art of Dance from the Indian Subcontinent (Reading Museum & Kala The Arts)
The Rising Sun Arts Centre
Thomson Chauke

𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦 & 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝
Maria Trevis – “Just A Mum”
Through a Different Lens

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝
Jane Austen 250
Parents And Children Together - PACT's Reading's Big Quiz
Yota Dimitriadi – Reading Old Cemetery

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝
Giddhasise
Reading Bhangra Group
Reading Bike Hub

𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝
Museums Partnership Reading (The Museum of English Rural Life and Reading Museum)
Reading Bike Hub
Reading Borough Council – Leading Sustainable Transformation Across Reading’s Events

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝
Pathways into the Creative Industries Event, organised by REDA
Reading Rep Theatre Youth Theatre
Whitley Carnival

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫
A Christmas Carol (Reading Rep Theatre)
Beauty and the Beast (The Hexagon)
Diwali Light it Up!
East Reading Festival
Find the Flock: Shaun the Sheep trail
GLOW Lantern Parade
PACT's Reading's Big Quiz
Reading Children's Festival
Reading Water Fest
Reading’s Digital Revolution (Reading Museum)

Event of the year is open to the public vote - vote now via https://wordg.tiny.us/eoty26 (Voting closes at midnight on Sunday 22 March)

The winners will be announced at our ceremony on 23 March - please join us as we celebrate the best of Reading's arts, culture, heritage, festivals and live events! - https://whatsonreading.com/awards-event

01/03/2026

Message from our friends at Woodley Carnival:

Woodley Carnival is looking for an enthusiastic individual to take on a fulfilling role sourcing, arranging and coordinating our evening concert bands. The role includes liaising between the bands and sound team regarding technical specs.

If you’re available on Saturday 13 June, please get in touch ([email protected]). You’ll shadow our Band Manager this year, with a view to taking on the role next year.

26/01/2026

We're excited to announce that our 2026 festival booking form is now live!

If you would like to get involved as a stall holder, performer, committee member or volunteer, please complete the form below.

We look forward to working with you!

East Reading Festival will happen on Sunday 21st June 2026 (12-6pm in Palmer Park, East Reading) and we need your help to make it as successful as it possibly can be. We're looking for new committee members, stall holders, performers, community groups, volunteers, sponsors and anyone else who would....